THE Famalicão qualified for the ‘final four’ of the Football League Cup for the first time today, by beating Sporting de Braga 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out, after a 2-2 draw in regular time.
After the draw in the 90 minutes, the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out, with the Famalicenses converting three of the five shots attempted, while the ‘arsenalistas’ only scored one of the four made, in a decision in which Brazilian goalkeeper Gabriel Cabral stood out, who saved three Bragaenses shots.
In regular time, the Famalicenses took the lead in the 16th minute, through Greek forward Georgios Koutsias, and the Bragaenses equalized in the 37th minute, with a penalty scored by Ricardo Horta. Koutsias scored twice in the match, at 45+4, also converting a penalty, the same happening with Ricardo Horta, who, at 89, restored the final draw, also from a penalty.
In the semi-finals of the competition, whose ‘final four’ will take place in Leiria between January 5th and 9th, Famalicão will face Sporting, who defeated Marítimo, while FC Porto, who eliminated Académico de Viseu, will face the winner of today’s meeting between Benfica and Gil Vicente.
